Legends look forward to kicking off 2010

Beginning Thursday, there are 58 games involving FBS teams on the opening week’s schedule. Only eight feature two BCS- conference teams.

Who cares? College football fans are starving right now.

Plus, the opening slate isn’t as bad as it sounds. There are enough enticing matchups to get the juices flowing. Will Dave Wannstedt legitimize Pittsburgh’s preseason hype with a win at Utah Thursday? Who wins Saturday night’s showcase games, North Carolina vs. LSU and Oregon State vs. TCU? And, of course, the Labor Day showdown between Boise State and Virginia Tech has major BCS implications.

But for every one of those tasty treats, there are five rather bland matchups involving overmatched FCS team. Twenty-three teams from BCS conferences will host an FCS school this week.

Let’s not lament the opening weekend’s lack of depth, though. Instead, let’s see we what we can learn from on-paper mismatches.

Numerous national championship contenders, including the top four, Alabama, Ohio State, Florida and Texas, find themselves in exactly those kinds of matchups.  The defending champs host San Jose State, a team that went 2-10 last season. The Buckeyes open against Marshall, which won a bowl game last season, but is breaking in new coach Doc Holliday. Florida hosts Miami (OH), 1-11 in 2009, and Texas heads to Rice, 2-10 in 2009.

Face it – the Tide, Buckeyes, Gators and ‘Horns can name the score. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be signs inside these projected blowouts; signs that show just how legitimate of contenders these teams are.

Former Air Force head coach Fisher DeBerry and Washington head coach Don James, two members of the Legends Poll, agree that you can still learn a lot about a team in a game where they’re clearly superior in talent.

“Hopefully, you can answer some questions about some questionable areas of your team,” said DeBerry. “But you don’t want to develop any kind of false sense of security.”

DeBerry and James said you’re looking for organization, execution and discipline. National champions don’t continually false start. They don’t have trouble getting the snap off, and they’re not blowing assignments in the secondary.

They do, however, dominate inferior competition.

Alabama whacked Florida International, North Texas and Chattanooga by an average of 39 points last season. In 2008, Florida hammered Hawaii and the Citadel by an average of 48 points. The most points any eventual BCS National Champion has allowed against a non-BCS opponent is 17. Ohio State thumped Kent State 51-14 on their way to winning the 2003 BCS title.

Any of the big dogs that struggle this week, it’s probably safe to scratch them off your title contender list.

Print Story